Arsenal‘s chances of signing Inter Milan captain Mauro Icardi have been dealt a blow after a move for the forward was dubbed “unlikely.” Meanwhile, Barcelona’s Arda Turan could be available following reports the Spaniards transfer-listed their winger.
According to Vaishali Bhardwaj of the London Evening Standard, the Gunners are instead prioritising their interest in Real Madrid striker Alvaro Morata or Lyon frontman Alexandre Lacazette.
![]()
Arsenal have been linked with a lengthy list of forwards since failing to sign any senior outfield players last summer, and Inter’s Icardi has long been associated with a San Siro exit.
Speaking to Italian outlet Calciomercato, Icardi‘s wife, Wanda Nara, hinted the 23-year-old could depart the Serie A giants this summer, per Bhardwaj‘s report:
From what I can see, Inter have put Icardi up for sale. There are many clubs interested. We will evaluate the situation with all due respect for everyone.
Mauro would be very sad to leave Inter, but we’ve understood the club’s economic situation and evidently they cannot hold Icardi back.
There is no release clause in his contract and we hope Inter won’t ask for a sum that is outside the market value, but rather suited to his contract.
The Argentina international has three years remaining on his current deal with Inter, and Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is facing the prospect of being without injured striker Danny Welbeck for the start of next season.
WhoScored.com managing director Cristiano Acconci recently highlighted the best and worst sides of Icardi, who has scored 57 goals in 122 Serie A appearances for Inter and former club Sampdoria:
![]()
![]()
Elsewhere, the Premier League giants have been linked with a move for Barca misfit Turan, who is reportedly on the club’s departure list just six months after making his first appearance for the club.
Spanish newspaper Marca reported the Blaugrana are even willing to accept a £12 million hit and sell their playmaker for just £23 million this summer (h/t Sun‘s Matt Heath-Smith).
![]()
Turan moved to the Camp Nou from Atletico Madrid for a fee of £35 million last summer, but the Turkey international wasn’t allowed to register as a player until January 2016 as a result of Barcelona’s transfer ban.
Borussia Dortmund are also mentioned by Heath-Smith as one of the teams interested in a move, and Bayern Munich media’s Cristian Nyari insisted a move to Signal Iduna Park would be good for the player:
![]()
Arsenal already have a host of star playmakers among their ranks in Mesut Ozil, Santi Cazorla and Alexis Sanchez, with Turan possibly following the same path as the latter and heading to the Emirates Stadium.
The £30 million arrival of Granit Xhaka has already beefed up the Gunners’ engine room, but Turan‘s acquisition could go a long way to injecting some more flair into Wenger‘s lineup.
from Bleacher Report – Front Page http://ift.tt/29rb5U0
via IFTTT http://ift.tt/eA8V8J